Placings: 1st Place Skipton, 2nd Place Son Of Auros, 3rd Place Beau Vite

Jockeys: W. Cook, T. Unkovich, D. Munro

Trainers: J. Fryer, F. G. Doran, F. McGrath

Winner’s Time: 3:23.75

Weight: 47.63kg

Odds: 8/1

Prize money: £7,700

About:

Skipton’s 1941 Cup success was surrounded by thirteens. He exited barrier 13, wore number 13, and by winning became the thirteenth horse to triumph in the Derby-Cup double. Skipton continued his success two years later winning the 1943 Caulfield Cup.

Colonus had one of the highest ever winning margins in Melbourne Cup history when he beat Phocion by seven lengths in the 1942 race. Held during one of the worst times in Australia’s history, the racecourse saw its smallest crowd for seventy years. Colonus was pacesetter from the stalls with no competition; the uninspiring race was described as a ‘one horse affair’.

1943 MELBOURNE CUP – DARK FELT

Race Info:

Placings: 1st Place Dark Felt, 2nd Place Counsel, 3rd Place Claudette

Jockeys: V. Hartney, T. Unkovich, A. Knox

Trainers: R. Webster, L. Robertson, D. McRae

Winner’s Time: 3:23.25

Weight: 52.62kg

Odds: 7/2f

Prize money: £7,700

About:

Favourite for the Cup after finishing fourth in the previous year’s race, and having had three consecutive wins in the weeks leading up to the race, Dark Felt was a great all round racehorse. Winning in races from seven furlongs to two miles, he showed his versatility. Dark Felt had a clear-cut and decisive victory in the 1943 Melbourne Cup, following his father Spearfelt’s 1926 Cup victory.

1944 MELBOURNE CUP – SIRIUS

Race Info:

Placings: 1st Place Sirius, 2nd Place Peter, 3rd Place Cellini

Jockeys: D. Munro, H. McCloud, H. White

Trainers: E. Fisher, W. O’Dwyer, F. Manning Jnr

Winner’s Time: 3:24.50

Weight: 53.07kg

Odds: 3/1f

Prize money: £7,700

About:

1944 saw Sirius get up to the line at Flemington defeating Peter, the son of dual Cups winner Peter Pan. Sirius was owned by Mr Richard Turball, making him the first Melbourne Cup winner owned by a serving member of the VRC.

Rainbird was the first mare to win the Melbourne Cup for South Australia. Racing in a forward position through the race, she was horse number five to reach the home turn then dashed to the line surpassing Silver Ling by two and a half lengths. She continued to perform well, placing second in the VRC Oaks Stakes and winning the Wakeful Stakes.

1946 MELBOURNE CUP – RUSSIA

Race Info:

Placings: 1st Place Russia, 2nd Place On Target, 3rd Place Carey

Jockeys: D. Munro, A. Breasley, N. Powell

Trainers: E. Hush, L. Robertson, H. Wolters

Winner’s Time: 3:21.25

Weight: 57.15kg

Odds: 16/1

Prize money: £10,200

About:

Sydney top-weight Russia won the Cup in a sterling effort, beating On Target by an incredible five lengths. His victory was perhaps eclipsed by the breaking down of crowd favourite Bernborogh at the last Saturday’s Mackinnon Stakes. Russia was a top quality racehorse, finishing his career with 32 wins from 89 starts.

1947 MELBOURNE CUP – HIRAJI

Race Info:

Placings: 1st Place Hiraji, 2nd Place Fresh Boy, 3rd Place Red Fury

Jockeys: J. PUrtell, B. Eames, P. Simonds

Trainers: J. W. McCurley, P. Fergus, J. Flannery

Winner’s Time: 3:28.00

Weight: 49.44kg

Odds: 12/1

Prize money: £10,300

About:

Hiraji ran the race of his life at the 1947 Cup, finally victorious after racking up a record number of minor placings in the lead up to the carnival race. This was the first year jockey Jack Purtell won the Cup, but he would go on to do so three times.

1948 MELBOURNE CUP – RIMFIRE

Race Info:

Placings: 1st Place Rimfire, 2nd Place Dark Marne, 3rd Place Saxony

Jockeys: R. Neville, J. Thompson, J. Gilmore

Trainers: S. Boyden, D. L. Burke, J. L. Meagher

Winner’s Time: 3:21.00

Weight: 45.36kg

Odds: 80/1

Prize money: £12,800

About:

With the unbelievable odds of 80/1, Rimfire was not expected to win the 1948 Cup. Rimfire’s jockey was 15-year-old Ray Neville who wasn’t there to win, just to gain some race experience. With one of the closest finishes in racing history, there was conjecture about the finish-line camera’s position and who the real winner was. It was the first time the camera had been used in deciding a Melbourne Cup winner.

1949 MELBOURNE CUP – FOXZAMI

Race Info:

Placings: 1st Place Foxzami, 2nd Place Hoyle, 3rd Place Benvolo

Jockeys: W. Fellows, Ward, F. Williams

Trainers: D. Lewis, H. Cousens, S. R., Lamond

Winner’s Time: 3:28.50

Weight: 54.43kg

Odds: 16/1

Prize money: £12,800

About:

Trained specifically for the Melbourne Cup race, Foxzami let no one down and was victorious in 1949. Staying close to the lead the whole race he managed to avoid interference, with many jockeys reefing and pulling on their mounts.

The versatile racehorse Comic Court was trained by the great Bart Cummings’ father, and Bart himself started his illustrious career as Comic Court’s strapper. The 1950 Cup win for the course was an Australasian record, holding for 18 years. Comic Court later won the MVRC William Reid Stakes, setting a new course record there also. An impressive racer, he won 28 races from 54 starts, sealing himself as one of the true turf greats.

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